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“Well, I’ve always been interested in flying. Just need to learn more about the business, I suppose.”

“Oh yes. I recently heard that you’re a pilot. Is that right, Max?”

“Just for fun. I have my private pilot’s license.”

“What aircraft do you fly?”

“I’ve flown a few of them, but I’m partial to the Cirrus aircraft. I keep telling my father that Fend Aerospace needs to get into the general aviation market.”

Charles laughed. “Maria, this is the part that worries me. If I give him too much of a leash, he’ll turn the company into his own hobby center.”

Maria smiled politely. “That’s the sign of a good executive, Charles. Someone who’s already interested in the work.”

“Excellent,” Charles said. “Well, you don’t need to waste time on us. Anything more on that thing we were discussing yesterday?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Very well. I’ll see you later today.”

“Max, it was a pleasure as always. Charles, I’ll see you on the plane.”

Maria departed and walked away, along the brick walkway next to the Potomac River.

When she was out of earshot, Charles said, “A lovely woman. She has exceeded my expectations. You’ll do well to shadow her when you join us full-time.”

Maria had been hired by Charles Fend personally a few years ago, out of London. Max had gotten to know her relatively well, as she was one of the few people he interacted with when he would visit his father. She was one of Charles Fend’s most trusted advisors.

Max lowered his voice. “So you were saying you think you’re ready to scale back a bit?”

His father looked at him and nodded. “Yes. It’s time. I’ll still keep involved. I’m staying on as chairman of the board. I can step in if I see anything out of sorts. But all the day-to-day decision-making will be handled by a new CEO.”

“And who will that be?”

Charles shook his head. “That’s months away. I need to get us through this Fend 100 project first. Once we get that finished, my real work will be complete. The Fend 100 program will set Fend Aerospace up for the next few decades.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mean to be selfish, but your retirement does make me curious about how I might be affected.”

His father smiled. “That doesn’t make you selfish, just human. Nothing will change for you. I’ll see to that. You’ll be employed with the company, as long as that’s what you still want. You can finish your master’s program here at Georgetown and then start working full-time after that.”

Max sat back in his chair, mulling it over. His whole life, he’d been running from his wealth. His father had a controlling interest in one of the largest aerospace companies in the world. Everyone had heard of Fend Aerospace. When Max was growing up, most people that he met assumed that he was some spoiled rich prep school kid. And he had gone to all the best schools. They’d never been short of money. His father had taken him around the world on fabulous vacations.

But he’d always had a chip on his shoulder. Max wanted to forge his own path. He hadn’t gone on to work on Wall Street or as an investment banker, like many of his classmates at Princeton. Instead, he had chosen to take a job that allowed him to see the world, live an exciting life, and do something fulfilling.

It just wasn’t the type of occupation that he could talk to people about. In that field, talking about your work was the quickest way to ending up dead in a ditch.

But he was no longer in that line of work, he had to keep reminding himself. Whether he wanted to or not, now it was time for him to move on and try something new. Time to learn his family trade — and in doing so, accept an opportunity that few received.

The family business was worth close to twenty billion dollars. Fend was one of the largest airplane manufacturers on the planet. For years, Max and his father had an ongoing joke about how Max would one day take over as CEO. At least, it had been a joke. Until that walk on the French Riviera, when Max had asked his father if he might be able to come to work for Fend Aerospace.

Max said, “I don’t feel like I’ve earned it.”

His father took a bite of his bagel, a smear of cream cheese and smoked salmon on top.

“You haven’t earned it. But I have. That’s capitalism, son. To the victor go the spoils. One of mine is being able to name whomever the hell I want as my successor. And another is being able to place my son in management, if I so desire.”

“I don’t like getting handouts.”

“It isn’t one. You’ll work your tail off, won’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I know how smart you are.” He hesitated. “Your mother would have been proud of the man you’ve become, Max. I mean that.”

Max flushed. “Thank you.” He had trouble looking his father in the eye after that one. Compliments were sometimes hard for him. He changed the subject. “So what’s next for the Fend 100?”

His father’s face lit up. Max knew that he could talk all day about his work. “The FAA is going to evaluate the first passenger flight the week after next.”

“And they don’t mind that you’re going to have a big show about it?”

“The FAA has all but granted us the contract as the sole supplier of autonomous flight technology for the NextGen program. They want us to succeed, and to generate enthusiasm among the public.”

“And you don’t have any reservations about it? Safety-wise, I mean.”

“No, of course not. We’ve tested everything a million times. This is a dog-and-pony show. For the investors, for the trade, and for Washington. The FAA and those who are making the decisions with NextGen want to see consumer confidence in the product before they grant us final approval for the contract.”

“So you’ll have this first passenger flight…”

Charles said, “Yes.”

“And that will get you the contract?”

His voice lowered. “Essentially, yes. That’s what I’m being told. After that, the FAA will approve Fend Aerospace as the contractor for all US autonomous commercial flight software and networking. And then… I’ll be looking at taking more vacations.”

Max didn’t respond. He was distracted by a young couple sitting at an umbrella table on the far end of the restaurant patio. They weren’t talking. They both had sunglasses on. And Max was almost positive that they were conducting surveillance on him.

Why would anyone be surveilling him now? He hadn’t been in Europe for a few months. And who were they?

Max tried to keep up his conversation with his father without appearing distracted. “Any thoughts on where you’d travel to first?”

“I liked Japan very much the last time I was there. There are some great spots in the mountains. Peaceful spas. Great food. Friendly, respectful people. I very much like the Japanese culture.”

“That certainly sounds nice.”

He spotted two more inside the restaurant. Max guessed that they were probably US federal law enforcement. They each wore a very small, almost imperceptible earpiece. And they looked nervous, like they were trying too hard to play it cool. Definitely not interested in what they were ordering, or in talking to each other.

For a moment, he thought that they might be there for someone else. Perhaps even his father, the way the man was obviously glancing in their direction.

No. They appeared to be watching him.

They never looked at him directly. Their glances were always at someone or something near him. Just like they were trained, Max knew. Just like he had been trained.